Studio Glossary | Eight Terms We Use Frequently

As a New Yorker in Rome, language switching has become second nature to me. Greeting my wooden canvas supplier – Italian. Checking in with my Studio coordinator – English. Welcoming viewers for a Studio visit – back to Italian.

But in addition to switching between English and Italian, a new language of terms, phrases, and lingo has organically evolved in my Studio in Rome. Some words are come from the practicalities of creating art, some are from fashion and design, and other terms are created naturally from new projects.

Thinking about these words, I’ve realized that in some ways they function like verbal snap-shots of my Studio and what I create. There’s a double meaning, too: the literal meaning of the words and what they represent in my Studio.

Acrylic Prints

1. (n.) the medium in which my Iconics series are expressed

2. (n.) A process which layers a print against layers of durable acrylic for this glossy, luminous finish.

Art as Scarf

1. (n.) artist-designed wearable art, specifically, art on a broad band of cloth worn about the shoulders, around the neck, or over the head

2. (n.) line of artist scarfs I am launching here: byclu.com

 

Moving Portrait

1. (n.) short videos that serve as a visual-audio snapshot of a person, object, or place

2. (n.) a sneak-peak into my Studio world, almost always involving art, sometimes fashion, and occasionally, glitter.

Iconics

1. (adj.) of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an icon
2      a: widely recognized and well-established
b: widely known and acknowledged especially for distinctive excellence
3. (n.) my series of over 70 works with imagery ranging from angels and landscapes, to tondos and botanics.

See also: my newsletter (released once a month) that includes a new work in my Iconics series each  month.

Serifs

1. (n.) In typography, a serif is a small line or stroke regularly attached to the end of a larger stroke in a letter or symbol within a particular font or family of fonts.

2. (n.) A typography element seen in all my Studio stickers and my Instagram posts

Halo

1. (n.) a circle of light appearing to surround the sun or moon and resulting from refraction or reflection of light by ice particles in the atmosphere

2. (n.) a series of my works on small circular pieces of wood, in various colors. Currently on view in my Studio

Frieze

1. (n.) a broad horizontal band of sculpted or painted decoration, especially on a wall near the ceiling

2. (n.) art that matches your intention- combining design & typography while embracing art & poetry. Can be applied to walls, ceilings and even stairs with a self-adhesive stick and peel paper which allows an easy application to your desired surface. Variations include words focused on happiness, growth, & types of love.

Totem Tray

1. (n.) a natural object or animal that is believed by a particular society to have spiritual significance and that is adopted by it as an emblem

2. (n.) a designed-by-hand original artwork on a tray, with motifs that combine the natural world with significant words.

And finally, here are the keywords that encapsulate what I seek to express in my work, the words that define my intentions and style:
harmonize, innovation, elation, surprise, ‘sparkle with an edge’
Even language is an artistic medium, malleable for sculpting and ready to be placed into an ever-transforming collage.